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Southland Times, Issue 1684, 3 January 1873, Page 2

Dr Hector, accompanied by Mr Leonard Harper, of Christchurch, landed from the Luna at the Toi Tois on Wednesday morning, and ascended the Mataura ia a boat for the purpose of examining the recent coal discoveries in the neighborhood of the Seaward Downs station. We understand that the formation is the same as that which has been explored and partially worked at Waikawa, and also at the Toi Tois, by Mr Brunton. Unfortunately, con. sidering the excellent quality of the coal, no seam has yet been found at any of these localities oi sufficient thickueas to render it probable that the discovery will turn out to be of economical importance to the Pro?ince. Dr Hector, however, intends to recommend some further , driving at the spot where the coal has been found. The operations at the Nightcap Hill, which were suspended during the investigation of the Seaward Downs discovery, will now be resumed. The paragraph in the American news 'received by the Dacotah, and published elsewhere, referring to certain defalcations in a bank in New York State, has been transcribed by us in the most intelligible manner possible from the disjointed words supplied by the wire. It may therefor* be open to correction. The telegram on the whole has given us more than the ordinary amount of trouble, and some portions had to be entirely omitted, it being absolutely impossible to extract any meaning from the original. Whether the telegraphic department or the agent who compiles the summary is to blame we have no means of deciding, but we will certainly forward the telegram to headquarters in order that enquiry may be made. An inquest was held yesterday, before Dr Monekton, coroner, at the Melbourne Hotel, on the body of an infant child of Mr John Scott, flax manufacturer, which died suddenly during the previous day. A post mortem examination was made by Dr Cotterell, and the jury, after hearing the evidence, returned a verdict of death from natural causes. We regret to learn that the recent bu?h fires have caused considerable loss to Mr Murdo h, the enterprising sawmiller, by the destruction of a considerable portion of tramway bjth at the Makarewa and the Waikiwi mills. Notwithstanding the holiday season, the business at the Resident Magistrate's Court has bean almost nil, only one case of drunkenness having been disposed of yesterday. The writ for the Waihopai election has now been issued. The names of several gentlemen have been mentioned as probable candidates, but as yet no definite arrangements have been made. The immigrants who arrived by the Zealandia appear to be rapidly finding employmentj as very few now remain in town. A meeting of gentlemen interested in racing matters will be held this afternoon at 1 o'clock in the Southland Club, to mike arrangements for the Invercargill autumn meeting. The grand stand in the Agricultural and Pastoral Association's show ground should receive some attention at the hands of the society, as it is understood that its construction is not sufficiently strong for perfect safety under the strain to which it may at times be exposed. A professional opinion on the subject would set the matter at rest. We understand that the money taken at the gate at the Caledonian Gathering amounted, for the two days, to £120. The receipts of the Horticultural Society for the same period were upwards of £43. A meeting of the residents in Appleby was held in Rodie's Hotel on Monday evening, 30th ult., for the purpose of devising means to eradicate the thistle in that locality. Mr Dairy m pie informed the meeting that he had telegraphed to the Superintendent on the subject, and.tho answer he received was that the Ordinance had been proclaimed according to law, and was now in force. After this explanation had been made, it was decided that Messrs Brownlie and Dalrymple should wait on Sub-Inspector Fox, and request him to enforce the Ordinance. The desirability of taking steps to secure the completion of that portion of the Mataura railway between Invercargill and Woodlands, engaged the attention of the Railway Committee at a meeting on Monday afternoon. The chief difficulty being the speedy sup ly of the necessary rails, it was suggested that they might be obtained from some other part of the Colony where they cannot be immediately utilised, at a moderate cost for freight. It was resolved that the chairman should call the attention of the Superintendent and the Minister of Public Works to tiie matter. This having been done, the following telegram has since been received from Mr Macandrew : — I have forwarded your letter re railway to Wellington. It is only following up what I have been earnestly pressing for some time past. Our Riverton correspondent informs us that the bazaar which was held there during the latter end of last week, in aid of the Church of England, proved in every respect a most successful affair. All the ladies connected with the church had been very busy for sevoral weeks prenousk' in the k preparation of fancy goods of every description,

with the result of furnishing the various stalls with a liberal supply of articles more or less valuable. As a great number of strangers are* usually in town at this season of the year, their I contributions exercised a beneficial influence on the monetary result of the bazaar. The Oddfellows' Hall, in which the bazaar was held, presented during each evening a very lively appearance, and by the aid of raffles and that useful institution, the post-office, the interest was well safciained. On Saturday night the goods remaining unsold were put up at auotion, and brought very fair prices. The amount obtained for the church on this occasion is larger than has ever been realised at any previous bazaar. The Sunday school children were to wind up the proceedings by a treat in the Hall on Monday last. A Forest Hill correspondent informs us that the children attending tho school there were treated to a picnic on Chrismas Day, the whole , of the preliminaries having been arranged by j Mrs M'Nicol. Mr Alex. Robertson having kindly ■ granted the use of his paddocks, swings were '• erected, and other preparations made for securing the children's enjoyment. The youngsters m us— tered on the ground shortly after noon. Various games engaged their attention till 2 o'clock, when an adjournment was made for luncheon, after which eight prizes for the best runners of both sexes were competed for with great animation. Between 4 and 5 o'clock, tea was announced, and ample justice done to the tempting display of comestibles of every description suited to juvenile appetites. The children of the Forest Hill district are likely to remembar the Christmas of 1872, thanks to the parents, young ladies, and others who exerted themselves to provide the materials for this very satisfactory reunion. The Dunedin Star says : — There were imported into New Zealand last year 93,867 tons of coal, the total value of which was £121,151. The exports were 1696 tons, valued at £1612. Considering the fact that coal of a fair quality, and in some cases superior, has been found in almost every part of the Colony, it is singular that the community should continue to send such large sums out of the country for an article ljing almost at their doors. Anglo-Australian writes as follows in the European Mail :— I hear that the machinery of Belfast is too delicate for the manufacture of New Zealand flax, and that therefore the manufacturer who had the job in hand has been unable to produce damask tablecloths from the native dressed flax which had been obtained by Mr Thome from Dr Featheraton. That this flax is superior to jute for the manufacture of sacking and woolpacks has been fully established ; and even if it could be utilised for no other purpose, the demand which is sure to spring up for it for these goods would be sufficient to give a large impetus to its cultivation .